The effects of a changing climate in the Gulf of Maine ecosystem include shifts in marine biodiversity, productivity, and timing of vital biological events like spawning. These changes also have the potential to threaten coastal communities that rely on the ocean for food, livelihoods, and recreation.

In response to recommendations in Maine Won't Wait, the climate action plan produced by the Maine Climate Council, the Department of Marine Resources partnered with UMaine Associate Professor in the School of Marine Sciences Michelle Staudinger to conduct an in-depth study of its marine resource monitoring programs to determine how well they capture the impacts of climate change on marine habitats, resources, and fisheries.

“This effort exemplifies how Maine Won’t Wait has served as a guide for state agencies and partners to work together on critical issues facing our state," said Sarah Curran, director of the Governor's Office of Policy Innovation and the Future, which administers the Council. "The work of the Council has helped generate new research that will inform and protect our heritage industries for years to come.”

The study has been published in “npj Ocean Sustainability,” an international peer-reviewed journal that covers all aspects of ocean sustainability.

DMR evaluated its Maine and New Hampshire inshore trawl survey, Atlantic Sea scallop dredge survey, green sea urchin dive survey, commercial landings monitoring of Atlantic menhaden, ventless trap and sea sampling surveys for American lobster, visual detections of spring spawning for Rainbow smelt, and life history surveys of American eel.

“This study represents one of the first climate-focused evaluations of state-run marine resource monitoring programs,” Jesica Waller, study co-author and DMR’s Director of Biological Monitoring and Assessment.

Data from each of the eight survey programs inform federal and regional fishery stock assessment models and management decisions. “Early detection of climate change impacts is critical for determining potential management actions that can moderate detrimental effects, or leverage opportunities because of emerging species,” said Waller.

“We worked with Professor Staudinger to develop the evaluation structure, incorporating the knowledge of the scientists who lead these surveys,” said Waller, who served with Staudinger on the Maine Climate Council’s Coastal and Marine Working Group. “Michelle’s knowledge of current climate adaptation science and literature was hugely helpful here and a great pair to the knowledge of the scientists running these coastwide surveys in collaboration with industry partners.”

"Implementing climate adaptation actions is an ongoing challenge that natural resource agencies face across the country,” said Staudinger. “We provide a framework to help managers take an important step towards assessing existing assets and identifying where strategic investments can increase resilience and reduce risk in the face of ongoing ecosystem transformations."

“A comprehensive evaluation like this provides important insights that will help our surveys evolve in ways that can address changes and uncertainties in the dynamic marine environment,” said Waller. “This study provides a road map that will allow us to more effectively monitor the marine ecosystem in a way that supports holistic management approaches which can adapt to climate change.”

Interviews of survey program leads resulted in a list of recommended actions organized around environmental, biological, ecosystem, socioecological, and operational themes.

Recommendations include securing funding to expand ocean temperature and other environmental monitoring programs, developing a program to monitor predators and emerging species, moving towards survey methods that holistically characterize biodiversity rather than focus on single species targets, and strengthening relations with industry research partners.

“While recent studies have projected that the Gulf of Maine is experiencing a temporary pause in warming, it continues to warm faster than most of the world’s oceans,” said Waller. “This study will help fishery scientists and managers here in Maine recognize and adapt to the rapidly changing marine environment.”